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The European WEEE Directive

- Origin, status and outlook -

Thorsten Brunzema

Tokyo, 12 November 2015

Symposium on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)

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PRESENTING TO YOU:

Thorsten Brunzema

- Background in economics and industrial engineering

- International work experience in environ-mental policy, including in Chile, Tunisia, Benin

- Official of the European Commission since 2004

- Negotiator on the new European WEEE Directive

- Currently on a sabbatical leave from the Commission

- Statements made are based on personal expertise, not representing the Commission, or speaking on its behalf

Contact: Thorsten . Brunzema [ at ] gmx . com

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INDEX

From WEEE 1 to WEEE 2From WEEE 1 to WEEE 2

The new WEEE Directive of 2012The new WEEE Directive of 2012

Status of implementationStatus of implementation

Current developments and outlookCurrent developments and outlook

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WEEE COLLECTION REPORTED FOR 2006

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WEEE COLLECTION REPORTED FOR 2012

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New collection rates to reduce impacts on the environment and ensure recovery of valuable raw materials

Reduced administrative costs through the removal of all unnecessary administrative burdens

Improved effectiveness and implementation of the Directive through increased compliance and reduced free-riding

OBJECTIVES OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION WHEN REVISING THE OLD WEEE1 „DIRECTIVE 2002/96/EC”

More infos on the webpage of the EU Commission:http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/weee/index_en.htm

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WEEE1 COLLECTION TARGET OF 4 KG IMPLIED VERY DIFFERENT AMBITIONS FOR EU MEMBER STATES

Definition of the target needed to be adjusted to WEEE arising

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INDEX

From WEEE 1 to WEEE 2From WEEE 1 to WEEE 2

The new WEEE Directive of 2012The new WEEE Directive of 2012

Status of implementationStatus of implementation

Current developments and outlookCurrent developments and outlook

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Collection

Treatment

Recycling

Financing

Clearing structure

Process step

Collection targets increase, specific for each Member StateLarge distributors to take back small WEEE 0:1

Member States to ensure all WEEE properly treatedEuropean standards for treatment to be developed

Preparation for re-use counts into the targetsSimplified categories for recycling targets from 2018

Producers responsible from collection point onwardsRefund procedures to avoid double payment

Reporting to national registers will be harmonisedEU Member States report to the Commission

Key elements of the new EU WEEE Directive

NEW WEEE2 „DIRECTIVE 2012/19/EU“ ON ONE SLIDE

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WEEE generated and targets in the EU (million tons, rounded)(Source: United Nations University and own calculations)

COLLECTION RATE AMBITION LEVEL EVOLVES TOWARDS WEEE GENERATED

4 kg

65%of

EEE45%

ofEEE

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- Harmonisation of registration and reporting information

through Comitology

- Marking and treatment information one time in Europe,

when placing on the European market

- Reimbursement of multiple compliance contributions

- Authorised representative instead of multiple legal seat

ADMINISTRATIVE BURDENS REDUCED VIA GREATER EUROPEAN HARMONISATION AND COOPERATION

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Reversed burden of proof to show that an item for shipment is EEE, not WEEE, including:

• Functionality testing

• Declaration of non-waste

• Appropriate transport protection

Specific derogations to ensure that the above conditions do not hinder certain legal shipments of non-functional equipment for repair/refurbishment/root cause analysis

Obligation on the Member States to apply the respective annex where there is suspicion that used EEE may in fact be WEEE

MORE EFFECTIVE TOOLS TO FIGHT ILLEGAL SHIPMENTS OF E-WASTE

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INDEX

From WEEE 1 to WEEE 2From WEEE 1 to WEEE 2

The new WEEE2 Directive of 2012The new WEEE2 Directive of 2012

Status of implementationStatus of implementation

Current developments and outlookCurrent developments and outlook

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Transposition by EU Member States nearly completed

Work on EU level continues:

- How to measure “EEE placed on the market” and “WEEE generated”

- Harmonising format for registration and reporting, frequency

- Development and role of European standards

- Rules on “equivalent conditions” for exports out of the EU

FINE-TUNING OF DETAILS OF WEEE2 IS ONGOING

General FAQ guidance document is online:http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/weee/pdf/faq.pdf

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Published:- COM study on scope review- COM study on recovery and re-use targets- COM study on equivalent conditions when exporting- COM mandate for WEEE standards (ftp://ftp.cencenelec.eu/CENELEC/EuropeanMandates/M_518.pdf)- Standards for treatment (CENELEC, some published)

Ongoing:- Standards for treatment (CENELEC, ~10 more in 2016)- COM study “EEE placed on the market” and “WEEE generated”- COM study on harmonising registration and reporting, frequency

Secondary legislation under preparation: - Measuring “EEE placed on the market” and “WEEE generated”- Harmonising registration and reporting, frequency- Equivalent conditions when exporting, role of standards

EU WORK UNDER THE WEEE2 DIRECTIVE

COM studies are published here: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/weee/events_weee_en.htm

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Scope: COM report on open scope, including definition of „large“ and „small“ equipment

Collection rates: COM report on methodology of WEEE generated, on deadlines, and on specific collection rates per product type

Producer financing: COM report on possibility of real end-of-life costs

Recovery targets: Reexamination on the basis of a COM report

WEEE2 TEXT ELEMENTS MAY ALREADY HINT TO POSSIBLE FUTURE DISCUSSIONS FOR WEEE3

Link between product sales (registration) and waste (financing) creates significant complexity and room for many discussions

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INDEX

From WEEE 1 to WEEE 2From WEEE 1 to WEEE 2

The new WEEE Directive of 2012The new WEEE Directive of 2012

Status of implementationStatus of implementation

Outlook and challenges aheadOutlook and challenges ahead

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Text

WHAT DO WORLD LEADERS THINK ABOUT e-WASTE?

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Advance resource efficiency, best practices, and foster innovation

A forum to share knowledge and create information networks on a voluntary basis between businesses, SMEs and other relevant stakeholders

UNEP International Resource Panel to prepare a synthesis report highlighting the most promising potentials and solutions for resource efficiency

OECD to develop policy guidance supplementing the synthesis report by the second half of 2016

G7 workshops at least once a year under the leadership of the respective Presidency

G7 IN JUNE 2015 CREATED THE NEW „ALLIANCE ON RESOURCE EFFICIENCY“

In creating the new alliance, G7 makes explicit reference to the „3R action plan“ of 2008 in Kobe, Japan

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In July 2014, the (outgoing) European Commission made a proposal to better promote the circular economy

In March 2015, the (new) European Commission withdrew the proposal, however promising a new more ambitious proposal before the end of 2015

A substantial review of the WEEE Directive, with its agreed deadlines reaching into 2019, is not indicated to become part of the proposal

NEW EU CIRCULAR ECONOMY PACKAGE PLANNED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION FOR LATE 2015

Information on the circular economy package:http://ec.europa.eu/environment/circular-economy/index_en.htm

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E-waste remains a key waste stream to regulate and create value: Valuable, hazardous, and generation growing globally

E-waste is the most diverse waste stream: Millions of different items, some valuable, some hazardous, some none of the two, many both...

Value creation in the e-waste industry is from recyling revenues, and from producer responsibility fees: How to balance the two, for each product?

Administering data on policy targets, and on compliance fees, becomes increasingly complex: Is there a limit? Who is best placed to manage such data? Can we become more efficient?

CHANCES AND CHALLENGES AHEAD

Will further discussions be global?Will there an EU WEEE3, and if so when?

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Thank you for your attention.

The floor is open for your questions and comments.